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The "problem" with avatars in "Second" Life is simple. In a world where you decide how you look, "most" will choose to look "perfect". When everyone looms "perfect" then no one does. Creating an individual avatar is about what you put into it, how you comport yourself. While in the "First" Life clothes make the man, here the man makes the clothes.

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The "problem" with avatars in "Second" Life is simple. In a world where you decide how you look, "most" will choose to look "perfect". When everyone looms "perfect" then no one does. Creating an individual avatar is about what you put into it, how you comport yourself. While in the "First" Life clothes make the man, here the man makes the clothes.

The problem with perfection is that it's an impossible goal, and that the proximity of perfection lays in the eye of the beholder.

There are those who think that to make their avatars appear as appealing as possible, they are impossibly curved with bosoms and posteriors with a circumference of a small car and a waistline attainable only through rib removal and an excruciating corset routine. Others have the long and slender legs of a Barbie doll. Some men think that the pink hulk appearance is appealing, others think that it's the boy-next-door look that'll give them the attention they desire.

The 'problem' with perfection is that no matter how hard you work for it and how much money you spend towards that goal - some women would never touch a man with a beard, others think that baby-faced men is about as attractive as shaved chimpanzees. We're all different, inside and out, and only a fool would try to find the mold to which they can conform to appease all.

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There could be a way to adress as many people as possible. Combine the golden cut with a few tiny and almost unnoticeable assymetrics/imperfections.

If one's goal truly is to appease as many as possible, sure.

But is it more appealing to see someone who comes fresh off the fashion trend train, who makes an effort to dress in whichever colours are the 'thing' for the season, with just the right amount of beard and a late-1930's Hitlerjugend haircut, with an abundance of flashing* from the mold - or someone who uses their apparel to express and reflect their personality?

If we're to reflect back to the OP for a second, and consider the SL fashion trend of board shorts, tank tops and hoodies; well you can go anywhere and find half a dozen guys or more all wearing practically the same thing, everyone trying their very best to be at the height of the fashion trend to show off like an ostentation of peacocks wiggling their tail feathers. Does anyone actually look for whomever happens to have the boardiest of board shorts, or the tankiest of tank tops, or will the guy standing in brown corduroy trousers and a light-blue shirt catch more attention simply because he doesn't look like every other bugger in the vicinity?

Standing out, I think, is a good thing - as long as you do so with some thought. A red and a green ankle-high sock, sandals, a pair of blue denim shorts and a beige trench coat might stick out, but, probably not favorably so.

But how do you stand out if you try to appeal to the same golden cut as everyone else?

(*Flashing = areas of a cast where the mold hasn't properly shut or been worn down by previous casts, for those who get confused by the terminology).

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simply because he doesn't look like every other bugger in the vicinity

Bingo. The title of this thread (however misguided the original content) is about individualising your avatar, not about achieving some 'fit in with everyone else' aesthetic.

Yes, I look for perfection; my own kind of perfection. I'll tweak an outfit until I'm happy with it. Sod everyone else, because I'm not wearing it for them. Nor am I wearing it to fit in with some kind of SL-dictated 'in-crowd'. If that makes me a crowd of one, I'm happy with that.

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Bingo. The title of this thread (however misguided the original content) is about individualising your avatar, not about achieving some 'fit in with everyone else' aesthetic.

Yes, I look for perfection; my own kind of perfection. I'll tweak an outfit until I'm happy with it. Sod everyone else, because I'm not wearing it for them. Nor am I wearing it to fit in with some kind of SL-dictated 'in-crowd'. If that makes me a crowd of one, I'm happy with that.

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The problem with perfection is that it's an impossible goal, and that the proximity of perfection lays in the eye of the beholder.

There are those who think that to make their avatars appear as appealing as possible, they are impossibly curved with bosoms and posteriors with a circumference of a small car and a waistline attainable only through rib removal and an excruciating corset routine. Others have the long and slender legs of a Barbie doll. Some men think that the pink hulk appearance is appealing, others think that it's the boy-next-door look that'll give them the attention they desire.

The 'problem' with perfection is that no matter how hard you work for it and how much money you spend towards that goal - some women would never touch a man with a beard, others think that baby-faced men is about as attractive as shaved chimpanzees. We're all different, inside and out, and only a fool would try to find the mold to which they can conform to appease all.

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Yes, I look for perfection; my own kind of perfection. I'll tweak an outfit until I'm happy with it. Sod everyone else, because I'm not wearing it for them. Nor am I wearing it to fit in with some kind of SL-dictated 'in-crowd'. If that makes me a crowd of one, I'm happy with that.

I do the same, buy cloths and items that I love, that fit to my style, and pimp/tweak them (or sometimes not) all to fit my taste and for my entertainment. But you can not deny we also like to show it off and let others see, judge and enjoy the attention. Why else do we post out pictures here on the forum, flickr, or do a blog?